2024/06/06
Today, we are rolling out the latest feature for the Workshop Portal: Autorigging. This is a huge step in our ability to empower artists, developers and future partners to bring visual interoperability to nearly any 3D object you can dream of. This game-changing feature was designed to support digital artists, allowing them to seamlessly integrate their 3D creations into Genies Party (our own digital universe) and future third-party universes. To recap one of our past blogs, the Workshop's purpose is to open the doors to all artists who want to take part in building the future of digital identity with us by building the platform in a way that caters to artists of all skill levels.
The Workshop Portal’s Autorigging feature guides creatives through the most demanding & time consuming parts of 3D development without limiting creativity. This creative tool is the foundation to allow users to make what they want and be anything they want while fostering interoperability and persistent identity. Whether you’re a digital fashion designer, character creator, environment artist, or a digital world explorer, this technology is the first step towards crowdsourced closets and content.
Let’s dive into why this matters to the creative community, and how this fits into the bigger picture of Genies’ vision for an artist-powered ecosystem.
Why Autorigging?
Currently, preparing 3D art for new digital ecosystems and platforms can be a hassle. In the case of 3D wearables such as a shirt, an artist would need to rig their 3D shirt, fit the design to work for characters to ensure the wearable moves correctly, and make sure it is lit correctly - all while hoping the item looks great in every environment it will be used within.
This manual process often requires specialized skills, tooling, and a lot of time. As a creator focused company, we looked at the pain points and areas of difficulty 3D artists in our community typically face. With the Workshop we aimed to create a solution that simplifies the process and improves the artistic community’s quality of life, ensuring that artists can focus more on their creative expression and exploration while reducing technical friction.
So, what 3D items can Autorigging work for? Imagine a world where anything works with everything.
Fashion:
Fashion has always been central to Genies and a pillar for self-expression, making it natural for the Workshop’s Autorigging feature to prioritize 3D wearables. Starting today, the Workshop lets artists upload any 3D fashion, conformed or non-conformed, to the Genies avatar framework. Instantly bring your 3D fashion creations to life on a Genies avatar through the magic of Autorigging.
Things:
In upcoming iterations of our Autorigging roadmap, artists will soon be able to upload 3D handheld equipable creations (we call them “Things”) for use within the digital ecosystem. Whether a mystical wand, butterfly net or a slingshot, your imagination is the only limit. Soon, anything you can dream up for your 3D character world will seamlessly integrate into the Genies ecosystem, creating an even more customized, dynamic and interactive experience for users.
Characters:
Excited to bring your own unique 3D avatars into the Genies ecosystem? The power of a digital identity is that you can be your most authentic self and show up in any form or aesthetic you choose. With character Autorigging coming in the future, we will be able to open up the doors for any avatar variety to be Autorigged and prepped to seamlessly interact with an immersive 3D world. Not only will your unique 3D characters have the ability to be used as an avatar, they will also automatically be able to wear any clothing and equip any of the Things found within the Genies ecosystem. Your personalized characters will have access to endless customization and creativity. Whether it's a hero in dazzling armor or a whimsical character with a flair for fashion, your 3D creations will come to life, fully equipped and dressed to enjoy all that the Genies world offers.
At Genies our belief is that artists and their unique creations are what makes any digital ecosystem great, and by making it easier for artists, developers and creatives to integrate their incredible work into an immersive platform, we foster a stronger collaborative artistic community. In the era of digital art items and interoperability, an artist equipped with the right tools to help transition smoothly between different digital avatars and experiences, will have no creative bounds.
Autorigging Feature Puts Users In Control
Traversing digital realities using the Workshop’s Autorigging feature sounds great, but how does it work?
Once artists are signed up and approved to be part of the Genies Beta Artist program, they can log into the Workshop Portal and begin uploading 3D creations. Genies’ proprietary Autorigging technology will then auto-fit and autorig your 3D creations to ensure your 3D masterpiece could be used throughout the Genies avatar framework.
With our upload preview tools, artists can ensure their designs look and function exactly as intended before they submit into the Genies ecosystem. Here’s the best part: after the Autorigging feature has done its magic, you’ll automatically receive a polished animation render of your 3D creation. The Workshop’s Autorigging Feature is here to help you create for a digital world of unique and interoperable 3D content:
Ease of Use: The Autorigging feature is designed to simplify your workflow. No more struggling with complex rigging processes or worrying about compatibility issues
Easy Review: Before submission to the ecosystem, you can review your 3D wearable using our real time preview tool, giving you confidence that it looks just right.
Auto Rigging: Your 3D wearable is automatically rigged to work across the entire Genies ecosystem alongside 3rd party universes
Auto Fitting: Ensures that your creation fits perfectly on any Genies avatar, saving you time and effort.
Time Efficiency: Our automated systems create game-ready assets with expediency and a touch of a button.
Animated Render Output: Receive a polished animation render of your 3D creation that showcases your creative prowess
Workshop Portal 3D Upload Step-by-Step Guide
Let us walk you through how to use The Workshop Portal to upload your 3D wearables and generate an Autorigged render:
Sign Up: Visit Genies.com and apply to be a Genies Beta Artist.
Login: Once accepted you will have access to log into The Workshop Portal.
Upload: Select ‘3D Creations’ to start your Autorigging journey
Review: Once you’ve uploaded the required FBX and PNG files, use the webGL preview to check your creation and ensure it looks exactly as you want
Autorigging: Sit back and let the system do the heavy lifting of autofitting and autorigging of your 3D wearable upload.
Animated Render: Receive a polished render of your creation fully auto-fit, auto rigged and animated on a Genies avatar.
Download & Share your Render: Share with friends and fans your latest 3D creation for Genies and invite them to use your Genies Party wearable once it has been approved for release.
To recap, the new Autorigging feature in the Workshop Portal is here to simplify and enhance your 3D art creation process. From easy uploads, automated rigging, and refitting to high-quality renders and a supportive community, we’ve got our creative community covered.
The Workshop’s creative offering and tools is a key step in our mission to power an interoperable identity layer for the internet’s future. We’ve long believed that avatars will become the next method of communication. With this in mind, we’ve been building and releasing a suite of tools, like our unique Avatar and Interoperable Frameworks, that enable anyone to create their own avatar Experiences and platforms. This suite of tools including Autorigging is designed by creatives, for creatives, and we can’t wait to see what you’ll make with it.
Let’s Collaborate in the Workshop Portal!
Joining the Workshop Portal artist program means more than access to The Workshop Portal’s great creative tools. It’s about being part of our growing community. You'll have the opportunity to collaborate with other artists and developers, share ideas, and inspire each other. We believe user-generated content is the future, and we are excited for you to join us in creating amazing experiences together. Ready to take your 3D art to the next level?
Sign up for our beta program today and get early access to The Workshop Portal as well as a creative community of artists & developers.